More than 80 per cent of the 1,000 Australians surveyed this week say they think "appropriate steps" are being taken to protect people's health during the coronavirus pandemic.
Newgate Research surveyed 100 Australians between Monday and Wednesday, finding that 79 per cent were confident in the country's health system, compared to just 55 per cent six weeks ago.
Those surveyed were generally approving of the government's handling of the pandemic, with 81 per cent saying they thought the social distancing restrictions in place are "generally fair and reasonable".
Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy. Source: AAP
Confidence in the country's health system was up significantly from 55 per cent six weeks ago to 79 per cent, and confidence in the government had risen by 6 per cent in the past week to 65 per cent.
The 1,000 people surveyed were also generally approving of the economic response to the pandemic, with 77 per cent saying they thought appropriate measures were being taken to protect businesses and 76 per cent saying the same for people who were now facing financial difficulties.
Pandemic panic declining
Newgate Research says the nation's concerns over the coronavirus pandemic are starting to ease, with 61 per cent of those surveyed now "extremely concerned" compared to 75 per cent three weeks ago.
People who speak a language other than English at home were among some of the most concerned residents, as well as older and middle-aged Australians, women, and those living in inner-city suburbs.
While those surveyed were mostly approving of the social distancing regulations in place, 40 per cent said they were finding the restrictions "very difficult" to deal with.
Among the biggest challenges cited were not being able to see family members (34 per cent), lost income (25 per cent), not being able to exercise (20 per cent) and being restricted to staying at home (17 per cent).
Newgate Research has been conducting a weekly online tracking study of more than 1,000 Australians' concerns about the coronavirus since mid-March.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others and gatherings are limited to two people unless you are with your family or household.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor (don’t visit) or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
